FROM this newspaper 100 years ago. - On Saturday afternoon the new ground recently secured by the members of the North-road NER Cricket Club at Brinkburn, Cockerton-lane, was publicly opened, when a team representative of the club tried conclusions with an eleven got together by Mr T W Dixon. The ground is admirably adapted for cricket, and is four acres in extent. The attendance on Saturday was most encouraging, and at the request of Mr R Clarkson (one of the vice-presidents of the North-road club), Mr E D Walker, JP, performed the opening ceremony.

From this newspaper, 50 years ago. - At the first meeting of the newly-formed Appleton Wiske parish council it was decided to hold a whist drive to defray the election expenses (£14 3s 6d) instead of levying that sum on the rates. The event was held last week in the Social Centre Room. Unfortunately, the night was one of the stormiest of the year, so the attendance was not up to expectations. Those who did attend deserve a word of praise. The whist drive and competition produced the sum of £4 4s 3d, and at the next parish meeting it will have to be decided how to raise the balance.

From this newspaper, 25 years ago. - A committee meeting at Stockton ended angrily on Monday after a Tory councillor accused the council of providing a "political platform" for Communist propaganda, by inviting and welcoming the Soviet ambassador to the Billingham Folklore Festival last month. "I'm most unhappy about the use of council facilities for the provision of a political platform to people of the nature of the Ambassador of the USSR," said Coun Martin Bailey at Stockton's Leisure and Amenity Committee meeting. "What happened was that he spoke on a political platform and provided brochures that are political propaganda." The leader of the council, Coun Peter Bonar retorted that the remark should be withdrawn. "I think that statement was mischievous, malicious and in very bad taste," he said. Coun John Scott said that he thought that it was "absolutely correct in a world which is in difficulties, for an ambassador of one of the major powers of the world to come." It could do nothing but good, he said. "Speaking as a historian, the ambassador of a country is a very, very important person."